[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19591-19592]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         APPLAUDING CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIC EDUCATION

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is vitally important 
that our children have an understanding of

[[Page 19592]]

the fundamental principles and values of our constitutional democracy.
  Last September, the first annual Congressional Conference on Civic 
Education was held. The conference was sponsored by the Alliance For 
Representative Democracy and co-hosted by the four leaders of the U.S. 
Congress.
  The conference established State delegations that returned to their 
States to advocate for better civic education. I would like to 
recognize Cindy Coker and Paul Horne, the facilitators of the South 
Carolina action team, for their efforts to improve civic education in 
South Carolina in the tradition of Sara Bookhart at the High School of 
Charleston in 1964.
  The South Carolina action team activities include advocating civic 
education programs and curricula, hosting a conference on the civic 
mission of schools, participating in the review of social studies 
standards, which includes civic education, and providing input on the 
value of civic education on the State's school report card.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking all of the participants of 
the Congressional Conference on Civic Education and wishing them 
further success during their next conference in December.
  In conclusion, may God bless our troops and we will never forget 
September 11.

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